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Post Graduate Diploma in Translation Studies
 
     Usually translating a form is said to be very easy. But this is a false notion. Translators face many restrictions and limitations among which the most important is the limitation of space provided by the form. Moreover, there is a no scope for descriptive language because a form is always brief and the uses of clauses and phrases are also very restricted. For such translation various methods are used - sometimes using, for clear expression, explicit for implicit or by changing explicit into implicit; or negative into positive or positive into negative. Not only that, a simple sentence is changed into a question and a question into a simple sentence. In fact all these methods are to make the material more comprehensible and to retain the naturalness of the translating language which is Hindi in this case.
 
423.11.4.1  : TYPING AND PRINTING
 

     While translating a form from English to Hindi a translator is concerned with translation of a word, line or a phrase, rather than rendering a page for a page. A few forms are typed forms, while a few are printed. A translator has to keep both in mind. For typing more space is required for Hindi than for English and one cannot adjust the Hindi version within the limited space meant for English Column Heads. Hindi words requires more space. If a leaflet has inadequate space, there will arises a few problems which a translator must overcome.

     As technically the size of a form cannot be enlarged the problem has been solved by typing the English version at the back of the Hindi version, i.e. one side English and the other side Hindi. But there is every possibility that all the efforts involved in Hindi translation is a waste, as no one may use it.

     A standard form will usually have the following items -

 
(1)

Heading (2) Column Heading / Brief (3) No. of forms (4) Date (5) Item number (6) Verticle item number (7) Serial number (8) Use of vowels / consonants for structuring of material (9) Signature (10) Amount (11) Foot note (12) Source (13) Marking off a foot note (14) Use of pauses, and (15) Brackets.

   
(1) Heading - Though a small heading does not create a problem but if a heading is a two or three lines long a translator faces difficulty in restructuring it in the target language. He will simply divide the heading into main and subordinate clauses / phrases and simplify render it as in the following case:
 
"Structure of Agricultural credit Institutions in India and their role in development"
 
"bhaarat m? kriSi Rin sansthaaõ kaa vinyaas Or Vikaas m? uskii bhuumikaa"
 
The above heading can be simplified into -
 
"bhaarat m? kriSi Ri n$ sansthaay? : swaruup Or bhumikaa"
 
Sometimes a specific date of termination is also mentioned as -
 
"Return of transactions in Pounds Sterling for the period ending -------
 
----kii samaapt huli awadhi ke lie pond starling m? len-den kii vivar n$ ii
 
     The different structures of both languages provide a blank space differently for each one of them. Similarly, blank spaces are provided for amount and place but if it possible to adopt the same procedure in translated Hindi version, too, it will have a better appearance. For that one would probably have to take some liberty and divide a sentence into main and subordinate phrases. Consider the following examples:
 
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